Beautiful Happiness, Book 2: Growing Feelings
by Missmybcmiyuki
Summary: Two different journeys cross and set forth unexpected changes. Figures from the past return. With Naruto away from home will everything work out aright? Part One is over, but part two is just beginning. NaruHina moments.
1. Back to where it all started

**Disclaimer: **Don't own any characters from Naruto, I only own the characters I create. Like Inari, Miyuki, the bad guys, etc. Oh, and the plot, that's all me.

**Note: **This takes place before the time skip in the manga. Naruto is 14 though, so that means I've made many changes to the original story line.

Any changes I made will be revealed in their time. If anyone is confused about something, please ask and I will clarify.

* * *

I've been lazy lately, but for this whole week I got serious. I worked on this three to five hours a night each day.

I sort of know what I want for the next few chapters and I have managed to fill a few holes in the storyline.

Before I forget, I want to thank everyone for their comments. I may not reply to all of them, but know that they mean a lot to me. I read the over and over again so I feel guilty and work on my chapters.

Also a special thanks to Lukus for leaving me my first ever threatening comment. I found it funny and it made me smile. Is that weird?

Note: This is a sequel so please read book 1 first. I know it's long but it think there's few good chapters in there.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_Back to where it all started _

High atop the village hidden in the leaves, the blonde Hokage watched from the window of her office. Though her eyes scanned the streets of the village, her thoughts were elsewhere.

It was eerily quiet, as it had been, for the past few days.

No one was barging in, demanding missions, or complaining that they were too easy. Though, she had to admit, he hadn't been doing much of that lately.

Tsunade laughed, "I guess the brat's matured a tiny bit."

It was funny; to think how quickly she had started to miss the loudmouth blond. It had only been three days since he and her old teammate had left on their journey. The boy had gone on missions longer than that plenty of times. Then again, this time he would not be returning for who knows how long. And despite the fact that he was in good hands, Tsunade couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had.

"If I was at a casino right now, I wonder what my luck would be?" she asked herself, turning to her piles of unfinished paperwork. The blonde sighed and pulled out a bottle of sake from a hidden compartment in her desk.

Unless she could suddenly look into the future there was no way of knowing what awaited Naruto and Jiraiya. All she could do was hope they were strong enough to handle whatever came their way.

"Lady Tsunade, it's a bit early to be drinking isn't it?" Shizune said as she walked into the Hokage's office. She gave the blonde woman a stern look but said woman merely shrugged it off.

"I need this Shizune." she said in a most serious tone, "Something tells me I'm going to need this."

* * *

"Alright guys, it looks like we're almost there!" Inari said with excitement. "Let's step on it!"

"That's easy for you to say kid," Kiba said with a hint of annoyance, "You've been ridding on my back most of the way here."

The brown haired four-year old looked down at the Inuzuka teen. Her arms were firmly wrapped around his neck and his arm was holding her securely. With an embarrassed smile she replied, "Oh yeah, sorry."

"There's no need for apologies. It was our mission to escort you here safely and given your age and size, the trip would have taken longer had you walked along with us."

"Shino is correct," their team leader said, "Considering how long it took you to get to Konoha all those months ago, it just made more sense for one of us to carry you here."

Inari pouted, "I wish I could have teleported there. Or at least along the way so I wouldn't feel so useless."

"I-inari…" Hinata spoke softly.

"That would not have been a good idea Inari." their team leader spoke once more. "You should never move through an unknown location all on your own. Who knows where you might pop up and who could be lurking around the corner." She didn't want to scare the child, merely caution her.

The small child nodded in understanding, her gaze not leaving the older woman.

Hinata couldn't help but smile at the scene between the four-year old and the dark haired woman with the red eyes.

The first time the two had met, Inari had posed as a friend of the heiress. With her real identity now revealed Inari was afraid the older woman would be upset at being lied to. Kurenai however, simply laughed it off. She found it somewhat amusing that she didn't see through a four-year old's fib.

Instantly Inari relaxed and seemed to have taken a liking to the genjutsu specialist. When Kiba asked why Inari was behaving like that the child responded, 'Because she's so pretty and she has such a nice smile.'

The Inuzuka male didn't think that was reason enough but was told by Shino to drop it.

It made sense to Hinata though. She had felt something similar when she first met Kurenai. Maybe it had to do with the fact that they both had lost their mothers. And while Kurenai didn't exactly give off a motherly feeling, it still felt warm and familiar. Like she was someone you could confide it and someone who could protect you.

Hinata quickly snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Kurenai's voice.

"Alright, since we're almost there I think we should send Kiba and Shino to survey the area ahead of us."

"Oh, I want to go too!" Inari said in a pleading voice, "I'll be extra careful. Please?"

"I'm sorry Inari, but this is standard procedure." Kurenai tried to explain in a gentle yet stern voice, "Once they return and give us the OK, then we can proceed."

The four-year old pouted as Kiba slowly let her down and made his way to Shino. He whistled for his white haired companion, who was playing a little way away with Miyuki.

Both pups turned at the sound and happily made their way to Kiba's side. In less than a minute both boys and dogs were out of sight.

Seeing Miyuki run off with them only made Inari pout some more.

Kurenai sighed, she didn't like lying to a child but there was no other way. They weren't just going to Inari's hometown; they were going to the place full of terrible memories. There was no telling how the town looked now, if there was still even a town.

From what Tsunade had told the red eyes woman, Inari had witnessed the death of her parents and had seen her town burn up in flames. That's why they were told to approach with caution. The last thing they wanted was to trigger those memories all over again.

Inari however was starting to lose her patience. After so many months she was finally going to see her hometown again. Hope remained in her heart that she would find people still living there. Since their journey began she had been dreaming about what she would find when she returned home. Some however, turned into nightmares.

But Inari didn't want to think negatively.

"We're back!" Kiba announced as he ran towards them. Shino and the pups followed behind at a much slower pace.

"Did you see it?" Inari asked excitedly, "It's big and the sign says-"

"Yeah I remember what you said shrimp," Kiba teased, "You only described it to me about 12 times."

"We didn't actually make it to the entrance though," the Inuzuka boy explained, "As soon as we caught sight of the entrance we made our way back to you guys." Kiba glanced nervously from Inari to Kurenai.

The red eyed woman noticed his hesitation, "Kiba, Shino, let's go over your findings in private."

Inari looked at the dark haired woman beside her, "Why can't you talk here? I want to hear too."

Kurenai got down to Inari's level and spoke in a soft voice, "I'm sorry, but it's protocol. Please wait here with Hinata while the three of us talk."

Normally Inari would object more, but she decided to accept it instead.

The long haired woman smiled and left with the boys. The three made sure they were a good distance away so that no one could listen in on their conversation.

Meanwhile Inari and Hinata immerse themselves in some small talk while Akamaru and Miyuki took a nap beside them.

"I wonder how many houses are still there," Inari said in a sad tone. She shook her head, trying not to let the thought get to her, but that was easier said than done.

"Inari," the shy heiress said with sadness.

"There was a really good bakery that was run by this elderly couple." Inari said with a smile, "My father loved the smell of bread so he always passed by it on our walks around town." the small child looked north, towards her hometown, "And there was this restaurant that my friend's dad ran a few blocks away. Sometimes I would sneak in during our walks and my friend would give me free samples."

Inari curled up in a ball and whispered, "I wonder if any of them are still alive…"

Hinata listened sympathetically, not sure what to say to the young child. The two sat in silence while Hinata struggled to think of something to say.

Meanwhile Inari thought of her hometown and the people in it. She was certain that she knew almost everyone that lived there. While the town was relatively big, the population was in the low hundreds.

'_I remember waking up early in the morning,' _she thought sadly to herself, _'the day those bad men attacked.' _A rueful smile made its way to her face, _'It was the only time I ever work up before mother and father.' _

'_There must be something I can say,' _Hinata thought to herself, _'Lady Hokage warned us about this. I have to help her.' _with newfound confidence the heiress turned to the four year old, only to see a glowing green light.

The small child was so consumed in her thoughts that she didn't even notice that she was accessing her chakra. In an instant she was covered in a familiar green glow. In her head all she could think of was her parents, and the life they shared together. _'Mother always played with me in my room and father would always find time to read to me at night.' _Flashes of them raced through her mind. One by one she relived some of her favorite memories with them.

Hinata recognized the green light and reacted immediately, "Inari!" she reached out to the child, but in the blink of an eye she was gone.

* * *

By now the memories had become too much for the brown haired girl. It had been months since she last felt such pain. Thanks to Hinata and Naruto, she had slowly been able to deal with her devastating loss. But now that she was back, all the old emotions were brought back to the surface. With choked sobs she cried out all of her frustrations, "Why? Why did this happen to me? To us…" Inari tightens her grip on her knees, curling up even more into a ball. "I hate them. I HATE THOSE GUYS!" the four-year old yells with such a force that her throat feels a bit sore afterwards.

It takes a few minutes, but eventually Inari is able to calm down. She felt better, now that she had gotten some of her anger out of her system. Before, she had tried to keep it all in. Occasionally she would cry, but she had never had a chance to let out her anger. Miyuki had always been at her side and the small child didn't want to frighten or worry the pup. She was the last memory she had of her parents.

With a quick motion she wiped the last of her tears from her eyes. It was then that she suddenly noticed something. Or rather, she heard something.

It was too muffled to make out, but it sounded like it was coming from more than one direction.

She turned her head to the right and it was then that she noticed something else.

Hinata wasn't there. In fact, as she stood up and looked around, she noticed that she wasn't even in the woods anymore. Instead, she was surrounded by four colorful walls that were all too familiar to her. Despite the thick layer of dust and various signs of damage, it was clear to her where she was.

She was in her room. Back to where it all began. She was home.

Inari carefully jumped off of her bed and looked around. Most of her possessions were on the floor and some were surprisingly still in one piece. "Mother came in and packed my backpack with some clothes. I didn't even have a chance to take any of my toys." she recalled, picking up a stuffed bear given to her on her birthday. She made her way around the room, picking up more of her possessions and recalling more memories. Eventually she made it back to her bed, and noticed the frame on her nightstand.

"This," she bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears. The frame held a picture of her parents, who were holding a very cheerful Inari. In her arms she held the almost two month old Miyuki. "This was taken on my birthday," she said with a sad smile, "It's the last picture we ever took together." Inari could no longer keep her tears at bay and began to cry softly to herself.

"I told you, I heard something in this direction." a rough voice calls out.

"Fine, let's check it out then." someone replies in an annoyed voice.

Inari's cries halt at the two voices. Her eyes widen when she hears heavy footsteps down the hall.

One by one the two open all the doors in the hallway. Their footsteps get closer and closer to the last room, where Inari resides.

The four-year old's hands tremble as she tries to slow down her breathing. She can't even think about hiding before the door to her room is slammed open.

Right before her eyes two men walk in and look down at her with sneers.

"Tch, it's just a little brat," the thin one says in an annoyed tone. While he didn't look muscular or tall, his face was enough to scare any child into running away.

The man next to him was slightly shorter and heavier. He gave Inari an angry glare which made her close her eyes and clutch her picture frame tightly to her chest.

Curious, the short, bald man approached the girl and reached for the photo. "Whatcha got there kid?"

Inari snapped her eyes open as she felt the man's big hands tug at her picture frame. Though smaller and much weaker she desperately tried to keep the photo from the man. Seeing this, the man growled and snatched the photo with one quick motion.

The tall man approached the two and grabbed the frame from the bigger man, "What are you doing? Let's just get rid of this brat before someone comes looking for her." He glanced down at the picture and quickly grabbed the shorter man's shoulder. "Wait," he said, bringing the picture down to the other man's eye level. "Do you see what I see?"

"Uh," he replied, squinting at the picture. His eyes widened and turned to look at Inari, who was cowering in the corner. "It's her," he said with a grin, "Looks like she came back after all."

"How foolish," the thin man said, frightening Inari with his creepy smile. "But at least you lucked out kid."

"Yeah, now you get to live," the bald man laughed, "At least until our boss gets what he wants from you."

Their words only scare Inari even more. With all they've said it's clear to her that they belong to the same group as the men who kidnapped her. Despite her fears she asks, "Y-your group was taken down, a-along with your boss. S-so how-?"

"Oh that? That was all a lie."

"Our boss is too smart to get captured. There's no way for him to be caught because he makes sure to stay hidden from everyone. Not even we know where to find him. The chain of command is too long for anyone to ever trace it back to him."

They both laugh at the frightened girl, but she's too far gone to even register their chuckles.

The nightmare she thought she had finally escaped had returned, and with it, so had her fears.

'_This can't be real,' _she tells herself, _'I can't, I can't go through this again!'_

"Alright, enough of this, grab the kid and let's go." the thin one tells the bigger man.

'_I should have never asked to come back here! I don't want to be here anymore' _Inari screams in her head, fresh tears roll down her cheeks and once again she's enveloped in a familiar green light.

Both men pause in their approach, taking notice in the light radiating from the child.

"I-is she doin some sort of jutsu?"

"I'm not sure, but we better grab her quickly."

Neither of the two made a move.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Grab her!" the taller of the two yelled out.

The heavier man frowned, "Why me? You're the self-appointed leader in this group arent'cha?"

"Tch, fine," the thin man said, taking a step towards the child.

As he got closer he noticed something peculiar. The green light enveloping the small girl appeared to be flickering. _'If this is a jutsu,' _he though to himself, _'then it appears she doesn't have the chakra necessary to perform it.' _He smirked, no longer approaching cautiously.

However, he was completely off.

Inari's fear was causing her chakra to fluctuate, which in turn, caused it to flicker.

'_Mother, father, I wish you were here.' _she trembled, letting more tears roll down her face. _'I wish Miyuki had stayed with me,' _although she knew the small pup could do little to save her. _'Maybe Hinata will be able to find me. Kiba said they specialized in tracking.' _the four year old tried to reassure herself.

However her past resurfaces once she hears the man speak.

"Alright little girl, just come with us and nobody get's hurt."

Inari's breath catches in her throat. Those words were the last thing she heard before her parents were killed. All the effort she did to calm herself flies out the window. She brings her face closer to her knees, her arms pulling her tighter into a ball. _'This is all a dream; I don't want to be here anymore. Somewhere else, that's where I want to go. I want to be far, far far away from here!' _she desperately cries out in her head.

The two men take a few steps back as the green light surrounding the girl glows brightly. Before either has a chance to react the light vanishes, along with the girl.

"What the?" the thin man looks on in awe.

"Um, was that suppose to happen?" the heavy set man asked with a puzzled face.

His comrade huffed, and turned to the door. "Come on, we have to report this to the boss."

* * *

Four figures flew through the trees, their feet barely making contact with the branches.

It had only been a minute after Inari disappeared when the others returned. By then Hinata had already scanned the area and found no signs of the child.

Kurenai had told them all to split up and widen the search but they met back after a few minutes with no results.

It was then that Shino suggested they search inside the town.

"Alright, this is it," Kiba called out, landing down near the entrance of the town.

With a nod from their jounin leader, the three teens split up and searched the town.

Hinata walked from shop to shop, her byakugan actively scanning for Inari. Most of the buildings were still intact, thought they did show signs of fire damage. Seeing no signs of Inari, Hinata turned to search elsewhere when something caught her eye.

With her eyes still active the teen was able to make out a rather large person heading north of her direction.

Deactivating her byakugan, the heiress followed behind the figure.

When the person stopped, Hinata ducked behind a shop and activated her byakugan once more.

It was then that she noticed a few more figures approaching. They seemed to be having a heated conversation. With careful steps Hinata tried to move closer so she could hear what they were saying.

Sadly, she wasn't able to make out anything other than a few commonly spoken words.

Fortunately, someone with much better hearing was close by.

He jumped off of a nearby roof and confronted the men before him.

"Alright scumbags, where's Inari?" he growled.

Hinata approached her teammate, "Kiba, did you find anything?" Akamaru and Miyuki barked and growled at the group of men.

The heiress looked at the small group of men, most were well muscled and sported mean scowls. From the looks of it, the thin man in the center was their leader.

"Well we didn't find her, but I just heard these bastards mention a little brown-haired girl. That's got to be her." Kiba pointed at the men accusingly.

"Ah, so the kid's name is Inari?" the thin man smirked, "And it seems like she brought little Konoha brats with her."

"If you tell us where she is we just might take it easy on you guys." the Inuzuka male said, cracking his knuckles.

The group of men merely laughed.

"You think you two can take us?"

"These brats have lost their minds."

"Don't worry; I'll handle 'em."

"What no fair!"

"Share man."

"Since when do you get to have all the fun?"

"No way am I letting that happen."

The group agreed and without warning, charged the two teens.

"Hinata, are you up for a fight?" Kiba asked, concerned for his teammate. He could tell that she was running low of chakra.

The heiress nodded, "I-I'll be fine, as long as I don't use my byakugan."

"Alright, Akamaru are you ready?" the pup barked and got into a fighting stance. "Ok Miyuki, go find Shino and Kurenai sensei." Miyuki barked and ran off.

The cocky teen turned to the group of me and grinned. "Let's see how long they can last?"

* * *

Kurenai and Shino arrived at Kiba and Hinata's location just in time to see the last guy of the group fall to the ground..

"I see you ran into the same problem as us." the red eyed woman said with a smile. "And it looks like they were about as weak as ours."

Kiba grinned, "Yeah, they were stupid to think they could actually take us."

Shino looked to their female teammate, "Are you alright Hinata?"

The blue haired heiress smiled weakly, "I-I'll be fine, I'm just a little low on chakra."

"So were either of you able to find Inari?" Both teens shook their heads. "We had no luck as well."

"One of the guys we were fighting mentioned seeing a small girl. But he wouldn't tell us anything." Kiba growled, looking over at the unconscious man.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Kurenai mumbled to herself. "Alright you three, If they spotted Inari then she must be around here somewhere. Now, where haven't we looked?"

"T-there," Hinata pointed to the large house built slightly above the rest of the town.

Miyuki barked to Akamaru, who turned to Kiba.

"That's Inari's home," Kiba relayed the message to the rest of team 8, "If she's anywhere then she has to be there."

"Let's go."

* * *

"Hurry up dear, the sun is starting to set and you know my eyes are not what they used to be."

"I'm coming sweetheart. Remember I've got a bad leg."

"Oh you always use that excuse. But I know you're quick on your feet when it's time to eat."

"Bah," he waved off her comment and proceeded to walk down the familiar road.

"Careful with the groceries, you know how hard it is to go to the town to get them." she continued on an on, the man beside her nodding every now and then. After living together for so many years he was an expert at tuning her out while still nodding at the appropriate times.

The two walked for about five minutes before the man noticed something in the distance.

"And you know how those two are-"

"Look sweetheart, there's something up ahead." he pointed to the blur.

"Oh I don't see anything," the small woman squinted, adjusting her glasses.

"Bah, that's because you're as blind as a bat." he waved his hand dismissively and approached the small bundle.

When her husband didn't respond, the old woman approached him, "What's wrong dear?" she asked, looking down.

"Oh my," she gasped, "It's a little girl!"

* * *

"Kiba, report."

"We've found her scent, but only in this area." he pointed to the child's room. "The most overpowering smells all around seem to be from those men we beat up. My guess is that they've made this place their base."

"So she was only in this room? That doesn't make sense." Kurenai frowned. The men they had attacked knew only the most basic of jutsus, so there was no way that they could have masked the child's scent.

"Hinata, were you able to find anything?"

The heiress shook her head, "She doesn't appear to be anywhere in the vicinity."

"Shino?"

"My bugs have searched but have found no trace of her." Shino reported, "While on this mission I placed a bug on her, but it died from chakra burns."

"What? How can that be?" the befuddled jounin woman asked.

"From what Kiba has gathered, the most powerful scents in this room are of two of the men and Inari. In light of this, we can conclude that all three were present around the same time. Kiba has also pointed out that Inari appears to have only been in this vicinity. From this we may assume that the same method was used to get her in and out."

"S-she teleported," Hinata whispered.

"That would be my guess," Shino nodded, continuing on, "From the burns on my bug, we may also assume that she expelled high levels of chakra. I have seen Inari perform the technique and normally it would not cause this," he said, lifting up the dead beetle. "My best guess would be that she accessed her chakra in high amounts and released it all at once."

"I was informed that her technique could be affected by her emotions." Kurenai added in.

"S-she must have been scared by the two men and acted in fear," Hinata said in a worried tone. _'And now she's all alone somewhere. We have to find her.'_

"But, if she teleported away, and used up so much chakra…"

Shino finished Kiba's line of thought, "Then she might be running dangerously low on chakra."

Team 8 all sported worried looks. At her age they knew it was dangerous to use up a lot of chakra. As experienced genin they knew when they could use their chakra and when they were pushing it. But Inari didn't and had already passed out a few times because of it.

She was young and still growing so it was harder to gauge just where her limit was. If she had used as much as Shino guessed, then they needed to find her right away.

Kiba let out a frustrated groan. "Damn it, just how are we suppose to find her? That technique of hers doesn't leave a trail."

"It doesn't matter Kiba. We have to find her no matter what."

"Kurenai sensei, do you think that maybe Inari went back to Konoha?"

The dark haired woman sighed, "I hope so Hinata." she turned to the rest of the team, "It's getting dark. Let's travel south for a little bit and see if we can't find anything. We'll make camp and search more tomorrow. If we don't find her then we'll head back to Konoha. With any luck she might be on her way there. If not then we'll have to organize a search team for her."

The three teens nodded and ran off, each one desperate to find signs of the girl.

Hinata couldn't help but blame herself for not stopping Inari in time. _'I should have noticed sooner. Then maybe…' _the heiress shook away those thoughts. _'I can't think like that. I have to keep going.' _she jumped from tree to tree, ignoring how tired her legs were. _'Naruto would never give up and I won't either.'_

* * *

"The poor dear, how is she?"

"It's not looking good. I can't get her to respond."

"I'm going to head to town and find a doctor."

"Alright, I'll go ahead and take her home. Maybe I can get her to wake up."

* * *

"Gah pervy sage, what's the hold up? You promised to teach me a cool jutsu today!" the blond huffed at the white haired man in front of him. They had just arrived in this town and as soon as they found lodging the Toad Sage went straight to the nearby hot springs.

Naruto had wanted to begin training right away. He needed the distraction since he had just left the people important to him. _'If I train hard and fast then maybe I can return sooner than everyone thought.' _He had thought with a determined smile. Alas the white haired man had other plans.

"Shh, quiet Naruto. Can't you see I'm doing some important research here?" the older man giggled, a blush across his cheeks.

"Yeah right, you're just being a pervert." Naruto crossed his arms and stormed off. "Whatever, I'll go train by myself." he was almost out of sight when, "EEK, I THINK I JUST SAW A PERVERT!" the blond yelled in the girliest voice he could do.

"Ahh a pervert!"

"What? Where?"

"I see him, he's over there!"

"GET HIM!"

Naruto left with a grin on his face. Despite being a nice distance away, he could clearly hear the screams of pain from Jiraiya.

"Ahh, I'm so hungry." the whiskered teen rubbed his empty belly, "Luckily pervy sage didn't take my money today," he grinned, pulling out his froggy wallet, "I hope I can find a place that serves ramen."

* * *

It had taken some time to get a hold of the doctor but eventually both men made it back to the old man's home. It was located a short distance away from the small town the doctor lived it. The elderly couple where retired farmers who lived off their life savings and a few crops they were still able to care for.

Unfortunately the doctor wasn't that experienced with Inari's type of injury. In the town they lived in he was used to dealing with cuts, fractures and burns. The elderly couple looked on in worry, wishing there was something they could do.

"I'm sorry I can't be of much help." the middle aged man said apologetically. "If you want, you could try your luck in the town a few miles away. I hear they have a very skilled medic."

"Thank you, we might just do that." the tired old man said, closing the door after walking the doctor out.

"So what do you think dear? Should we go to the other town? This poor girl needs help." the old woman said, wiping a smudge off her glasses.

"I think we'd have to bring the girl to them. Otherwise we could be waiting for weeks. You know how distracted that medic can be," the old man griped, sitting down beside his wife.

"Oh grandpa, I've been gone less than I week and I see you're already talking bad about me," a voice called from the door.

Before her husband could retort the old woman got up and spoke, "Oh I'm so glad you're here. We found this child unconscious on the street. Please come take a look."

The hooded figure by the door put on a serious face and quickly approached the small brown haired girl. _'Hmm, her vitals have slowed down and she's unresponsive.'_

"H-how is she?"

The figure sighed, "This isn't good, I need to work fast or she'll die."

* * *

Team 8 had definitely seen better days. After searching for an hour their team leader had suggested they make camp. But the teens were determined to keep going and after much debate, they convinced Kurenai to continue on. They had made it halfway back to Konoha when the red eyed jounin finally managed to convinced them to rest for a bit. The gang had immediately passed out from exhaustion. Kurenai, having had years of experience, could go without sleep for a day or two. So instead, she decided be lookout and ensure her students were safe from harm.

Alas, the teens were only able to rest for a few hours. As soon as the sun came up they were woken from their slumber and the search continued on.

To their dismay, they had made it all the way back to Konoha with no signs of Inari. The sun was just beginning to set as Team 8 quickly reported to the gate guards and made their way to the tower.

Shizune had just walked out of the Hokage's office, a stack of papers in her hands. "Hey guys, how'd it go?" her cheerful smile quickly turned to a frown, "What's wrong?"

Kurenai was the first to speak, "We need to talk to the Hokage. Inari's disappeared."

"What?" Tsunade called out from her office. She called them in to explain the situation.

"We searched everywhere but there was no sign of her." Kiba said with a frown.

"Shizune, send someone out to the orphanage. It's a long shot, but maybe she's there."

"Yes Lady Tsunade."

The blonde woman signed and turned to address the others. "We'll send a search team out for her. Hopefully they'll be able to find something."

"What? No way, send us instead. We just need to rest for a bit and-"

Tsunade held up her hand to silence the boy, "I understand what you all must be feeling, but this situation requires a more experienced team. Don't forget you three are still genin." she didn't want to be harsh but she wanted them to understand. The three teens nodded sadly.

Kurenai flashed her students an apologetic look.

"I will be sure to keep you all informed, dismissed." Tsunade watched as team 8 left, no one saying a word.

The blond woman brought her hands up to her face, her elbows resting on her desk. _'Let's just hope Shizune comes back with good news.'_

As soon as Kiba exit's the tower he marches of towards the training grounds. Hinata bites her lip, wanting to say something to the boy. Shino takes the initiative and grabs the Inuzuka lad by the shoulder. "You're not thinking clearly Kiba. Go home and rest, your body is too tired to train at the moment."

The boy with the red markings on his face glared at the Aburame. Hinata looked nervously between the two boys.

"Enough, go get some rest, all of you. I know you don't like this situation but that's life sometimes. If you want to get stronger then go to the training grounds tomorrow morning for some training. I expect everyone there at 6 'o' clock at the latest." The red eyed woman quickly announced before heading home.

Each of the teens gave a determined nod and left.

Miyuki, despite getting along well with Akamaru and Kiba, walked away with the Hyuuga heiress. Without her owner around, the pup suddenly felt so alone and unprotected. Thankfully Hinata noticed the pups apprehension and scooped her up in her arms.

"Don't worry Miyuki, we'll find Inari. For now you can stay with me." she spoke in the most comforting and reassuring voice she could muster. _'I hope.'_

* * *

A small whimper escapes her throat. With some effort she's able to open her eyes. _'Where am I?' _she thinks to herself, moving her head in an attempt to look around. Her whole body cries out in pain, causing her to groan. It's at that moment that the four-year old realizes just how heavy her body feels. It hurts but she bites her lip and turns her head completely to the right.

Her vision is a bit hazy but with effort she's able to make out a slim and fairly tall figure.

Said figure approaches her with a smile, "Good, it looks like you're finally awake."

* * *

Ok so I noticed I have a habit of centering the story around my OC Inari.

But she kind of has a vital role in the story. So unless I decide to kill her she'll still be hanging around.

I'm working on it though. That's why this chapter has taken so long. I'm trying to set something up so that I can get to the good stuff.

Please be patient and thank you for reading. Any comments are appreciated. Don't be afraid to tell me what you think.

My goal is to take no more than a month between chapters. Let's see if I can do it.

I caught a few mistakes that I had to change. This is what happens when I stop writing for so long. I think I'll have to re-read book 1. Make sure I don't have any more inconsistencies.

Gah, I just found some inconsistencies! I'll have to re-read book 1 and see if they can't be fixed. Oh this is going to be fun…


	2. This is what i see

**Disclaimer: **Don't own any characters from Naruto, I only own the characters I create. Like Inari, Miyuki, the bad guys, etc. Oh, and the plot, that's all me.

**Note: **The timeline of this story changes from around the start of the Chuunin Exams in the manga. I'll explain what parts changed in their due time. For now, Naruto is 14 and has just started on his long journey with Jiraiya.

* * *

Hmm, I'm worried everyone who followed book 1 is waiting for an update there and doesn't know to come here for book 2.

Should I go back and post an update?

Hope to finish the cover for Book 2 as soon as possible. For now enjoy the silhouette :)

Ok so I'm going to do my best to jump around and make sure everyone gets their chance to appear.

Hope you don't mind all the new characters I throw in. There's only so many I know from the actual manga.

And anyway OC's are just easier to write.

Ok so, for book 1 I introduced the characters and a bit of background information.

Book 2 will focus more on character development.

So that in book 3 I can finally tie everything together and end it all as best as possible.

(That's what I hope to accomplish anyway)

Wish me luck and thanks for reading :)

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_This is what I see…_

"Good, it looks like you're finally awake."

Inari let out a soft gasp in a failed attempt to speak. Still the young child persisted again and again.

The figure approached her with a glass of water, "Relax, here, drink this."

After gulping the water down Inari tried once more. "W-who…"

"Stop," the figure held their hand up, "You're only straining yourself. At your state you're still too weak to form a complete sentence."

With a groan the four-year old tried to get into a sitting position.

"Hold up girl, didn't I just say not to strain yourself?"

Inari narrowed her eyes, by now she could make out the person before her. She was tall and slim with shoulder length brown hair. The room they were in had enough lighting to take notice of her light skin and the few freckles adorning her face. Her clothing was a plain gray dress that reached down to her knees and a long brown cloak that lay draped to the chair she occupied.

"Here, I'll help you sit up but you have to stop moving so much. Are we clear?"

Inari pouted but eventually nodded her head.

"Good," the older girl smiled, "Now let me get you caught up on what's been going on."

* * *

Shizune sighed after Team 8 was out of sight. The poor genin had come by every morning to see if the Hokage had been given any new information on Inari's whereabouts. A week after the search team had been sent they returned with no results. Tsunade had called the teens in and explained the situation as well as her decision to wait before sending a new search team. The three teens had protested but the blond hokage wouldn't budge.

She could sympathize with them, but she also understood the Hokage's decision.

The new year had started with a good amount of high class missions. And with no leads on the four-year old, Tsunade felt it was best to use their manpower on bringing in funds for the village.

Even team 8 was sent, much to their displeasure. However, their personal feelings were left at the gate and they completed their mission without a hitch.

Kurenai and the others had just returned and quickly gave their report. Before they could even ask, Tsunade informed them that there were still no leads on the little girl. And so they had left, with dejected faces, more determined than ever to strengthen their skills.

Shizune turned to file the finished paperwork when a familiar pink haired girl appeared before her. "Sakura, are you here to talk to lady Tsunade?" she smiled, "Don't tell me you're having problems with your team for the Chuunin exams again."

"Huh? Oh yes I need to talk to Lady Tsunade, but not about that." she brought her hands up for Shizune to see. "This was just dropped off at the front gates."

The black haired woman took the small envelope from the teen and looked it over. "Sakura, was this checked out?"

"Yes, the ninja hounds didn't smell anything strange and as far as anyone can tell, it hasn't been tampered with."

"Alright, I'll hand it over to Lady Tsunade." Sakura nodded and left.

Shizune knocked on the office door and was replied by a muffled, 'Come in.'

"What's up Shizune?" Tsunade asked without looking up from her paperwork. The pile was fairly thin, having already signed off on most of the mission reports.

"Lady Tsunade, this letter arrived at the gates a short while ago." she said, handing it over to the blonde woman.

The Hokage flipped the envelope over and took on a puzzled look. "Strange, it's not addressed to anyone." she looked up at her assistant, "I assume it's already been checked out?" Receiving a nod from the black haired woman, Tsunade tore the envelope open.

Inside there was a letter, written in a small and neat handwriting.

Tsunade read it out loud.

"Dearest Miyuki, how long has it been since we last laid eyes upon each other? For me it feels like an eternity. I do not wish to worry you but it seems like it will be some time before we again cross paths. Know that it is not your fault. There are wounds that must be healed and regrettably they will take some time. Thankfully I have met some people who will help me on this journey. Worry not, for I am in good hands. I apologize for vanishing like that. My fear took over and I left you behind. Once I overcome this I will return. Please wait for me."

"Miyuki? Do you think-?"

"I'm not sure, but let's see if we can't find out. Bring team 8 over here immediately. Maybe they can recognize the handwriting."

"Right away Lady Tsunade."

* * *

The field held a variety of wildflowers that most would deem as pesky weeds. They were often overlooked for bigger flowers of vibrant colors. But to her chocolate eyes they were the most beautiful of all. With a smile on her face her gaze lingers on a soft patch of grass. Gingerly she lowers herself down and stares at a small purple flower to her right. With a shaky breath she leans over to smell it but stops midway. A shot of pain runs up her spine as her muscles scream for her to cease her movements. After a few breaths she sighs in frustrations, once again feeling the limits of her weakened body.

It had been about a week since she had woken to find herself in the home of an elderly couple and their young granddaughter. The first day had been the worst, it hurt even to breath. After waking up she ate what she could and fell back to sleep. The next few days had been better as the pain she felt with each movement lessened. Now she was able to move about, though she still felt about as sore as someone who had worked out for hours.

According to the girl, whose named escaped the child at the moment, it would take about another week for her pain to go away. Something about severe chakra exhaustion and a damaged chakra network. Inari hadn't really paid much attention at the time, her head still groggy from being asleep for so long.

All the four year-old really knew was that she had done a reckless thing and that now she was suffering the consequences.

"So, seems likes you're well enough to disobey me and wander off." Inari cringed at the stern tone. "You know this will only delay your healing."

The brown haired child bit her lip and turned to the person behind her. She was standing there, arms crossed at her chest, her brown hair pulled into a high ponytail. The older girl's face held a stern look of disapproval that Inari was starting to get sick of seeing. "I had to get out, I was starting to feel like a prisoner in there." she said with a pout.

"Sheesh, talk about ungrateful," the older girl mumbles to herself but in a loud enough voice so Inari can hear.

"You know, I can't tell if I like you or hate you." Inari confesses.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," the tall girl replies with a shrug. "So, are you going to get up or do you need some help?"

Inari moves her left leg and groans, her body had gotten stiffer as she sat there. She looks down, not even daring to look at the girl to her side, who's sure to have a smug grin on her face.

"I thought so," the older girl sighs and scoops Inari up into her arms. "Come on, Grams made some delicious soup and I don't want it to get cold."

The two arrive shortly at a little cottage where an elderly couple was setting the table.

"Ah, I see you found pigtails," the elderly man said with a chuckle. Inari frowned, not at all liking the nickname he had given her. Then again, she never did bother to correct them.

"Now dear," the older woman prompted, setting down a bowl for her husband.

"She wasn't that far off," their granddaughter shrugged, received her bowl next. "So gramps, any news from your friend?"

Inari's attention left the warm soup placed before her and made its way to the old man.

"Huh? Oh yeah, he came by this morning. Told me he delivered the letter without a problem."

The four-year old gulped her soup, anxiously wondering if the men at the gate would give the letter to the right person or not. Robin, as Inari finally recalled her name, had approached her with the idea just a short while ago.

* * *

Normally Inari didn't like it when Robin entered the room. The older girl was very smart and knew what she was doing when it came to the medical stuff, but therein laid the problem. Whenever it came to health and taking care or yourself, the girl was very strict and adamant. If she told you to do or stop doing something then she expected you to follow her instructions to the T. Forget your medication one time or disobey her even once and she was on you with such a fury. The girl took things too seriously if you asked her, but I guess it showed how passionate she was about helping people.

Still, it was easy to see how she could get on ones nerves so easily. Even so people still came to her for help, so that showed how good she was at what she did.

But, it wasn't health related when she came by that night. Robin had come to confess something to the little girl.

"Inari, I know a few things about you." Just hearing her name had caused a lump to form in her throat. How did she know her name? So many questions ran through her head. "Relax, I'm not here to hurt you." the older girl assured her. "You see, I have this… ability."

Inari held a skeptical look but listened on.

"I don't know much about it but it allows me to see things, things in people's minds."

That sounded familiar, the little girl thought, hee eyes closed in thought. Hadn't one of the people in Konoha once told her about an ability like that?

"It's like glimpses of time, mostly from the past, the future always comes out too blurry," the girl adjust her ponytail nervously, "I-it works better when someone is unconscious so when you…" she didn't need to finish for Inari to understand.

"You… read my mind?"

Robin shook her head, "No, not really. I mean, I can't hear what you're thinking; I can only look into your memories. And it's not like I can pick what I want to see. I'm only shown things that are important to you. Memories that you either can't or don't want to forget." she takes a breath, "In your case, I saw the attack on your home."

Inari fights back the tears, remembering just why she was laying there on the bed. Remembering the people who had taken so much from her.

"I didn't see much, just some awful men approaching you while someone called out your name. Then a flash of light and then I saw what I can only assume was your town being burned." Robin looked down at her hands nervously, "I went through some bad stuff too, so um, if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm here." Inari nodded, her eyes downcast.

For the next few hours the two had exchanged stories of the hardships they had gone through.

And while Inari had confided some things to Robin, she decided it was best if she said as little as possible about Konoha.

Still, Inari worried about Miyuki and wanted to let everyone know where she was and that she was ok. Robin however, had advised her to be careful in her means to communicate with them. The young medic had been around long enough to know how easily the wrong people could get the information they wanted. So she had decided to help Inari write a note that could be sent to Konoha. It would be cryptic enough so that no one would know who it's from unless they knew what to look for.

Robin had written the letter, seeing as Inari was still too week to do it herself. Inari was asked a few details and in a matter of minutes the tall girl came up with what she thought was a cleverly worded letter. The four-year old had read it over and while she thought it was a bit over the top, she agreed to send it out. She had faith in her friends, and with any luck they'd be able to tell it was her behind all the weird phrases.

* * *

The group separated and exchanged puzzled looks.

"Um, well…" one of them began.

"It smells like her," the other said, scratching his head, "It's a bit faint because there are a few other scents on it but Inari's scent is definitely in there."

"Despite the odd wording I believe it would be safe to assume this is her way of letting us know she's alright."

Tsunade nodded to the three genin. "Yes, though I do have to wonder who she's with. I can only assume they're the ones that wrote this so I guess that means they're smart enough to know how to write in case their letter got intercepted."

"Ah, that would explain why it all sounds so weird." Kiba took on a puzzled look, "But what's she trying to say?"

The blonde hokage sighs, bringing a hand to her forehead, "Hinata, please explain."

"U-um," Hinata bit her lip, the paper still in her hands, "We believed she had teleported away and this letter confirms it. It also states she's hurt and will need some time to recover, which also confirms our suspicions that she used too much chakra. Also, she mentions more than one person so we can assume a group of people found her. Inari seems to trust them so she must have told them about her situation. If they went to these lengths to write a letter, it must mean they know enough to take preventative measures should the letter be intercepted. Inari also mentioned returning when she is all better, so I suppose that means she will be in their care while she recovers."

"So then, she's safe and will come back when she's ready?" Kiba said after giving it some thought.

Tsunade resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "You got it Kiba."

"Well that's good to know. Course, it would be nice to know where she is but I guess we'll just have to trust her and the people she's with." The Inuzuka male turned to his teammates, who nodded respectively.

"Agreed, we'll be sure to keep an eye out for more correspondence. Considering her age and assuming what she's hurt from, I'd say it'll be about a month or so before she's fully recovered. Though that's just a guess, considering I don't know what kind of medical care she's receiving." Tsunade concluded, after which she dismissed the teens and laid her head down on her desk for a much needed rest.

* * *

"Sakura, hold on a minute."

The pink haired teen turned, giving the blonde a raised eyebrow. "What? Didn't you say that was all for today?"

Ino waved her arm dismissively, "Yes, but I just said that so the guys would leave." The blonde sported a soft look, "I was just wondering how you were holding up." Seeing her friend's confused look she elaborated, "You know, since Naruto left and all. I mean, when Sasuke left you…" the blonde looked away.

Sakura bit her lip and fought back the tears threatening to come out. She missed the Uchiha so much but was tired of letting it get to her. Everyone she knew always walked on eggshells around her when it came to the raven haired boy. And despite being grateful about it at first, she thought it was about time she grew up and stopped being so weak. If, no, when Sasuke came back he would find a new and improved Sakura. She wouldn't be a scared and weak little girl anymore. Not if she had anything to say about it.

With a deep breath she calmly addressed the blonde before her. "Listen Ino, it's true I was a bit sad at first when Naruto left. I mean, I'm the only member of team 7 that's still here and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel lonely at times. But, I'm not going to let it get to me anymore." Ino had to take a step back in surprise at the determined green eyes staring back at her. "Both Sasuke and Naruto **will** come back and when they do they won't be the only ones who've changed." The teen kunoichi raised a fist to eye level and smiled, "When they come back I'll be right here, to rub it in their faces that I made Chuunin before them!"

The Yamanaka girl couldn't help but grin at her friend's declaration. It was hard to believe this was the same girl who used to be teased by the other kids.

"They'll never admit it, but I just know it'll bother them. Those two can be so competitive at times." Sakura laughed, Ino quickly joining in.

"Well, when I become Chuunin I will be completely humble about it. That way Sasuke will see how mature I am," Ino shot her friend a smug look, "unlike you forehead."

The two playfully bickered back and forth, the insults not even bothering them anymore. By now it was just a friendly squabble they did to release pent up stress. In a world full of constant changes it was nice for them to have a little consistency now and then.

"Just follow my lead Sakura, and we're sure to pass this time around."

* * *

Hinata walked through the gates of her home, mulling over the recent news. She was relieved to know that Inari was doing well, though worried about just how serious her injuries were.

"Hinata, I see you have returned from your mission. I take it that all went well."

The heiress looked up from her thoughts and addressed her father. "Y-yes, everything went well."

"Good, I will be training Hanabi later today and I would like it if she were not distracted." the long haired man sighed, which Hinata found a bit amusing.

"Yes father, I will make sure you two are not bothered." she said with a bow, suppressing a smile until he was out of sight.

Hinata quickly made it to her sister's room and gently knocked on the door.

Hanabi hesitantly opened the door, a pout on her face.

Once again Hinata had to keep herself from smiling. "Hello Hanabi, I just came by to tell you of my arrival."

The younger sister looked at her with cautious eyes, "It's good to have you back sister, if that is all then-"

Hinata quickly cut her off, "Hanabi, now that I'm back you know you have to hand her over."

The younger girl's pout returned, "But sis," she whined, "She's just so cute."

It sounded so strange, hearing her younger sister acting so, childish? The girl was usually so calm and composed. But in a way it made Hinata smile, seeing her sister showing such a side. In fact, Hinata had noticed that her father and sister had started being more expressive lately. It wasn't a drastic change but more of small and subtle change. Her father tended to smile on occasion and displayed more interest in her daily life. He still pushed her to train and get stronger but was more encouraging when she failed at something.

Hanabi was opening up to her more and even tended to loosen up when they were alone. Little by little her world was changing and Hinata couldn't be happier. At least, when it came to her family.

A bark snapped the heiress out of her thoughts as she looked down and saw the cause of her sister's behavior.

"Well Miyuki, did you have fun with Hanabi?" the black haired put barked a few times, her tail wagging happily.

It had been a nice distraction for the pup, being with the young girl.

"Aww, can't I keep her Hinata?" Hanabi pleaded, scooping the dog up in her arms.

"Now Hanabi, father says you've been getting distracted lately and we all know why." she said, glancing at Miyuki.

"It's just that she's so soft, and cute, and fun," Hanabi whined, hugging the pup close to her chest. Besides a few birds, the members of the Hyuuga clan had never had a pet before. So when the black haired pup had arrived, Hanabi was the first to welcome her in with opened arms. The young girl had secretly always wanted a pet and so she instantly fell in love with Miyuki. At first their father was against letting an animal inside their compound. But when he saw the look on his daughters, as well as a few of the other members of the clan, he had agreed pending a few conditions.

One, Hinata had to take full responsibly for the dog unless she was out on a mission. Two, the dog was not allowed to roam about the halls on its own and must be taken out to do its business. It was not allowed to keep them up at night and lastly, caring for the dog did not allow them to shirk their other responsibilities.

The heiress had agreed, and after that Miyuki was suddenly the center of attention. Kids and even some adults had found ways to casually approach the pup and pet her. Some would even be bold enough to ask to play with her while others watched from afar. It was surprising to see the normally stoic clan act so curious and childlike. All because of a small pup that had entered their home.

But Hinata couldn't blame them; she too had been excited when she had first met Akamaru. It had been the first time she had even been so close to an animal and had felt very curious around him.

So whenever she caught a member of her family staring, she would bend over to Miyuki and ask her to approach said person. With a wag of her tail and a ball in her mouth anyone she approached found the courage to play with her.

Now that it had been a week, most had fed their curiosity and had returned to their usual tasks. All but Hanabi, who never seemed to get enough of the pup.

"You know she's only here until Inari comes back. And it just so happens we received a letter from her today."

Miyuki's eyes lit up at this as she jumped out of Hanabi's arms and lifted her paws up to rest on Hinata's knees. She barked enthusiastically, anxious to hear about her dear owner.

Hinata showed the pup the letter Inari wrote and explained what the little girl had written.

All the while Hanabi frowned, knowing it was only a matter of time until the black haired pup returned to her owner. She didn't like it but that was life sometimes. Still, from what the note said she still had plenty of time to spend with the pup. Hopefully in time she could convince her father to allow a pet in the compound. With a smile she headed off to her training lesson, all the while thinking of what kind of pet she'd like. Dogs were fun, but maybe a cat would be better. Or a bunny, Hanabi always wanted to see one up close. Though someone once told her they poop a lot, so maybe they weren't the best decision. Oh well, maybe she'd ask around. She wasn't the only member in the clan who wanted a pet.

* * *

The boy collapsed on the ground, panting heavily. He had been training all day and barely had anything to show for it. After catching his breath he decided to lie on his back and do a little star gazing.

Since leaving his village, the blond had been spending every possible minute training. It had taken some convincing, but the Toad Sannin had agreed to teach him a new jutsu. It wasn't as powerful or as flashy as the boy had hoped but it was better than nothing. Unfortunately he was barely explained the basic before the lecherous old man made his was to do his infamous 'research'.

But despite all that Naruto was making some progress with it. His never give up attitude didn't allow him to give up and after a few days he was finally seeing the fruits of his labor. With any luck, it wouldn't take more than another week or so before he completely mastered it.

For now though, he decided to take a short break and gaze at the stars. Back home he had often made wishes on them for things like friends, ramen, getting stronger and becoming Hokage.

But the last time he had looked up at the stars he had not been alone.

It had been at the orphanage with Inari and Hinata. Some of the older kids had talked about seeing a shooting star and that had caused the younger ones to want to see one as well.

Inari had been the first to run outside and peer into the sky above. The other children quickly followed suit and even some of the caretakers decided to join them.

An hour or so had passed before the headmaster announced it was bedtime. The kids groaned but half were already fighting back yawns. In the end no one had seen a shooting star, but it didn't matter. It had been fun and they always had tomorrow to try their luck again.

Naruto smiled, remembering how nice it had felt to watch the stars with everyone. He had made a mental note to try it one day with the entire rookie 12.

With one last look he stood up and made his way back to inn he was staying at. Along the way he found himself thinking of his friends back home. He wondered how they were doing.

It had been about two weeks since he left and he was already starting to miss them. The traveling and training had managed to take his mind off of it but now that he had a moment to himself he found himself thinking about them.

He wondered who Sakura would be teamed with for the Chuunin exams. If Teuchi and Ayame were doing alright without their number one customer. Had Inari found anything back home? Was Kiba getting soft without him around to spar with? And how was Hinata doing? The blond had gotten used to seeing her all the time that it felt a bit strange to not have her around.

In fact, more than anyone else, he found himself thinking about the dark haired heiress. Of course he convinced himself it was because of their constant interaction with one another and nothing more. This sort of rationalization had come up quite often when it came to the shy girl. But, being who he was, the boy didn't give it much thought.

And so he made his way into his bed and settle down for a well deserved rest. To dream of sweet dreams that he would have no recollection of the next day.

* * *

Ok so this chapter still had about a paragraph or two left before it ended but I was short on time so I decided to cut it here and move the rest to the next chapter.

Which is perfect since I need to work out a few details for the next chapters.

What do you think about this one chapter per month goal I gave myself? Sorry if it's still too much of a wait but it's the best I can do.

Most of my time is spend on drawing and I've been working my butt off these past few weeks trying to update all my projects.

Anyways next chapter will be ready in a month. If I get a burst of inspiration it'll be ready even sooner.

Comment if you can, honest feedback is appreciated.


	3. A New Arrival

**Disclaimer: **Don't own any characters from Naruto, I only own the characters I create. Like Inari, Miyuki, the bad guys, etc. Oh, and the plot, that's all me.

**Note: **The timeline of this story changes from around the start of the Chuunin Exams in the manga. I'll explain what parts changed in their due time. For now, Naruto is 14 and has just started on his long journey with Jiraiya.

* * *

I want my updates to be less sporadic so I'm aiming to upload a new chapter on the 12th of each month.

I'm still getting views on Book 1 so either people are re-reading it, or they're expecting an update there.

I don't want to post a chapter there just to tell them about book 2 so maybe I'll just send a message to the ones following the story.

I know it might be a bit boring right now but please stick around.

The awaited scene is coming next chapter. I just hope I don't jinx myself.

Seriously, you don't know how badly I want it to be good.

* * *

__**Chapter 3**

_A New Arrival_

Morning came a little too quickly for the young girl's liking as she groggily rose from the bed. She turned to her side on instinct and frowned. It was a hard habit to break, to not greet her puppy like always. It had been a month since she sent that letter and the little girl wondered how much longer it would take for her to recover. She longed to see her friends and her ever faithful companion, Miyuki.

Sure the elderly couple was nice, they treated Inari like family. Which she enjoyed since her own grandparent's died before she was born. But Inari missed her friends, and wanted to go home so badly.

But Robin, the girl over-seeing her recovery, informed her a week before that she would need to undergo a bit of rehabilitation first. Inari argued that her joints and muscles were almost at 100 percent so really there was no reason for her not to return to Konoha. But Robin disagreed, saying that it would be better to wait until her chakra network was working again. Inari pouted but Robin soon made her point.

And as much as the little girl hated to admit it, the medic was right. With that group still after her it would be too risky to journey back to Konoha without some means of defense. Robin dealt with healing people not hurting them. What kind of a fight could she put up to keep them from taking the small child?

Her teleporting ability had saved her enough times for her to know it was her best means of defense. Worst case scenario, they would find her and she would create as much distance from them as possible. Sure it had almost killed her last time, but they had caught her by surprise. Next time she was sure to be prepared.

So with a groan and a pout, the four-year old agreed to stay put for the time being.

The rehabilitation had started off very slowly. Robin only allowed her to use a tiny fraction of her chakra a day. It was to slowly open her chakra paths without damaging them again. Though in Inari's opinion, they were taking things a bit too cautiously.

And so, Inari thought that maybe she should investigate this in secret.

With a grin the child made her way out of the room she was sleeping in and greeted the elderly couple in the kitchen. She ate her breakfast as quickly as possible and headed out the door.

The older girl Robin, had left the day before to treat some people in the nearby towns, and would not return for two weeks. This gave Inari the perfect opportunity to see if she could speed up her rehabilitation. And so she heading a short distance away and began accessing her chakra. At first everything was normal but as she tried to access more a strange tingling sensation overtook her body. Soon it felt like painful needles were stabbing her all around and then her head started to spin. The last thing she saw way the oak tree before her.

With a groan Inari lifted her hand to her forehead and slowly opened her eyes. She noticed the familiar looking ceiling and guessed she was back at the old couple's home.

Sure enough the man and woman appeared and asked if she was ok. After getting a sound scolding for her actions she was given some lunch and told to rest for the day.

Inari sighed, knowing she might have just wiped away all her progress. Now she understood why Robin had made her take it nice and slow. After having her chakra network shut down for over a month it made sense that it would take time to get it back to how it once one. It was sort of like how her body had needed time to regain its normal movement.

Still, it was discouraging to see first hand just how little progress she had made. Inari turned in her bed and spent the rest of the day pondering about her predicament.

The next day the four-year old sat down and began a few simple chakra exercises. Hinata had taught her a few basics to help with her chakra control. Inari hoped that in doing the exercises she would be able to recover much faster. Almost instantly she noticed the improvement. There wasn't as much of a strain and she was able to access more chakra.

By the time Robin returned she was able to access a fair amount of her chakra.

So with a little bit of pleading, she convinced the older girl to bring her along on her next trip into town.

It was about a week later that Inari was finally able to journey past the area surrounding the small house she currently resided in. Robin had barely uttered out the words, 'I'm going out,' before Inari was out the door, jumping up and down in anticipation.

The two quickly made their way into the nearby town. Robin scanned the familiar stalls for the items she needed as Inari looked around curiously.

She had spent the last two months around the same three people that it felt nice to see some new faces. Everywhere she looked there were kids running around and adults scanning the shops. Her curiosity soon got the best of her as she followed a small group of kids.

They were running towards a shop owner who was selling some very cute puppies. Inari sported a sad smile, remembering her own black haired pup waiting for her to return.

After a few minutes Inari turned to look for Robin, who she noticed was nowhere to be found.

'_Oh no, I must have wandered off,' _the four-year old thought to herself, _'Where could she be?'_

Fighting back the panicky feeling, she looked all around her, trying to retrace her steps. She was too distracted to notice the person in front of her as the two collided. Being much smaller than the other, Inari was sent to the ground with a thud.

With a wince she looks up at the person she ran into. His face held a frown as he stood there, looking down at her. Before either could say anything a voice called out to them.

"Hey, there you are!"

Inari tore her eyes away from the older boy and looked to her left to see Robin approaching.

"Geez, you nearly gave me a heart attack. Pull another stunt like that and see if I bring you with me again." Robin scolded, reaching down to help the little girl up. The tall girl turned and suddenly noticed the boy next to them. He was just about to leave when they both locked eyes.

"It's you."

* * *

Hanabi carefully peeked into her sister's room, trying to see what the older girl was up doing. As soon as she saw Hinata start packing her backpack a smile appeared in her face.

"So," she said in an even tone, "I see you're heading out on a mission."

Hinata held in her surprise at the sudden visitor and replied, "Yes, it's expected to be a long one so I have to make sure I pack enough supplies."

Hanabi tried not to let her happiness show, "Is that so? Then I guess I'll be taking care of Miyuki for you once again?"

"Not this time sister," the heiress replied with a smile. She turned in time to see the crushed expression on her sibling.

Closing the door behind her she pouted, "And why is that? Don't tell me Inari's friends want to have her over again." Hanabi didn't like sharing the puppy with those kids.

"Well, Kiba thinks it's time for Miyuki to test her skills out on the field. You know he's been training her lately and he says he wants to see how she'd fair out in the real world."

The pup in question barked happily, ready for the challenge.

The younger sister plopped down on bed beside her and sighed, "Fine, I guess I'll spend my free time with some of the clan members. Some of the kids are a bit uptight but there are a few that are fun to hang around with."

Lately the main and side branches had tried to get along better. It was slow going but some of the children of each branch had made an attempt. The adults were still stuck on the old ways so it was up to the younger generation. Neji, Hinata and Hanabi had taken it upon themselves to help the others take the first step.

Hanabi for her part, mingled with children from both branches as much as possible. A few even started their own friendships on their own.

Hinata smiled, seeing her family start to grow closer to one another.

"Do you want me to tell father when he returns from his meeting?" Hanabi asked while petting Miyuki.

"Yes, please inform him that I will be away for a while." Hinata finished the last of her packing and called the pup over.

The three made their way out of the teen's bedroom and said their goodbyes.

Neji was about to enter the compound when he noticed Hinata. The two exchanged a few words and headed in opposite directions.

Kurenai was the only one there when Hinata arrived at the front gates. Shino and Kiba arrived shortly after.

"Alright everyone, let's head on out. If we keep to a steady pace we should get there in about five days."

The three teens nodded and followed behind their Jounin sensei.

Hinata trailed behind them all, her thoughts on the two people she hadn't seen in a while. _'I hope they're ok.'_

* * *

Naruto groaned as he walked through the thick forest. It had felt like forever since they first entered and it didn't seem like they were making any progress. "Hey, how much longer pervy sage?"

"I told you to quit calling me that, and anyway where almost there so enough complaining."

"And where is there exactly?" the blond asked, his arms behind his head and his eyes closed.

"On the other side of these woods there's a small town. We traveled through it a short while ago." the white haired man explained.

"Eh, why the heck are we going back the way we came?"

Jiraiya was getting tired of answering the kid's question, "Look, one of my sources said to go there. I could tell you more but frankly I doubt you're still paying attention."

"Man I'm so hungry," Naruto placed a hand on his stomach as it growled.

'_I knew it,' _the toad sage said to himself.

"So, how much longer pervy sage?"

* * *

"Who's this Robin?"

"Oh he's, well…" the tall girl didn't really know how to explain it. She had met the boy a while back when she had inadvertently read his mind. It led to life changing discoveries that made him leave his home. But it was too long of a story to tell the four-year old. The problem at the moment was how to introduce the teen.

She couldn't say they were friends as she hadn't spoken to him since their first encounter.

"Um, he's an old acquaintance," she chanced a look at the boy.

"Hnn."

Inari kept her gaze on the boy, "Is that so?"

"Yes," Robin pondered something for a minute, "So, did you find the answers you were looking for?"

The raven haired teen nodded, "We're working together now. I handle small odd jobs."

"Well, since I happened to run into you, do you think I could borrow your services?" the slim girl tugged at her gray dress.

"For what?" he replied with narrow eyes.

"It's for Inari here," she motioned to the child at her side, "She's being hunted by a large group of men. They've already burned down her hometown and killed her parent. Her last encounter with them caused her to almost die. I'm afraid to take her back home while those men are still around. With your skills I was wondering if you could track them down and take care of them."

The dark eyed teen looked down at the small girl. He knew well what it felt like to lose your parents. His had been taken away right before his eyes. Ironically now he was working alongside the very man who had been the cause of it all.

"If I do this, then we're even."

Robin sighed, "I didn't help you out so you would owe me. But alright then, we're even."

He nodded and left, Inari watching him with such an intense gaze.

Robin sees this and smirks, "Careful, you'll burn a hole right through his back."

Inari's face remains serious, "That boy, he looks familiar."

"Really? Hmm, now that you mention it, I think he's from the same village as your friends. Konoha right?"

The four-year old nodded, "Yeah, I'm not exactly sure, but I think he's the boy in the picture Naruto has in his bedroom."

* * *

His breathing was labored and his coughing was becoming worse by the day. Every doctor he brought it gave him the same diagnosis. He banged his fist on his chair, causing a dent. With a frown he noted his lack of strength. Time was running out, he had to find that brat soon. This kid was a long shot but thus far she was the only hope he had.

"That damn double-crossing Orochimaru." he spat the snake sannin's name out. There were two things that had kept him alive this long. One was the hidden power that girl was rumored to have, and the other was his need to exact revenge on his once ally Orochimaru.

But right now he had to deal with his latest problem. Those Leaf bastards had taken down his home base, further diminishing his finances. He had already spent so much on funding the search for the kid, as well as medical experts. Luckily he had other hidden bases scattered around where his men could head should they manage to locate the kid.

"The power to restore one's body to it's prime. With that kid's power I can return to who I was before that bastard poisoned me," his breathing was becoming strained. Nowadays it was becoming harder to stay awake for long periods of time. The need to find the kid was more pressing than ever. Soon the large man would not be able to hide his illness from his men. They would soon notice his weakened state and jump at the opportunity to take what was his.

Lucky for him, one of the men stationed at the brat's hometown had returned with news of the kid. To his displeasure, she had slipped through his fingers once again, but all was not lost. The one man who managed to get away had informed him of the group that was protecting the brat.

"Those damn Konoha ninja, I should have known it wasn't just coincidence that they found my base. They must have been searching for me and my men for some time now. But I'll be the one to get the last laugh. Their forces may be stronger but my men are trained to lurk in the shadows. And now that we know where the kid lives, she'll be that much easier to acquire," the large man chuckled in a dark tone, "Yes, it won't be long now. Soon my men will return with the girl in hand. There's no way that I will be taken down by a mere poison."

* * *

"Man, I can't take a second more of that arrogant punk!" the Inuzuka male stormed into his room, his teammate a short distance behind. Kurenai and Hinata had been too tired to join them for dinner and opted to turn in early instead.

It seemed this mission was putting a strain on everyone.

Kiba turned to the Aburame boy, _'Well, almost everyone.'_

Team eight had been assigned to protect a snotty rich man's son who had recently been the target of kidnapping. So far Kiba and the other had been able to locate and take down one of the suspected groups. But there were a few more rumored to be lurking around so until they took down every last one, they were to stay by his side.

But that was hard for the brown haired teen; the rich kid was stuck up and constantly insulted them. Well, mostly him. It took a very stern and scary look from Kurenai to keep him from punching the boy's face in.

Honestly, they had only been here for two days. Maybe it was the fact that they had traveled for so long and Kiba was still feeling tired. Tomorrow he would be at a hundred percent, feeling better than ever. He would find the remaining bad guys and complete his mission. How hard could it be right?

Things couldn't possibly get worse right?

I mean, the snotty punk had already thrown every insult in the book. There was nothing else he could do to tick the Inuzuka boy off right?

R-right?

* * *

Damn, I put this off until the last minute. I kept thinking I had enough time and worked on other projects instead.

I really need to get my stuff organized.

Anyways I hope these constant scene changes aren't confusing. I hope i gave enough clues as to the identity of the boy Inari met. If you didn't figure it out don't worry, he'll be mentioned soon enough.

Short chapter, decided to cut a lot of stuff. This whole chapter is pretty much a set up for the next one.

See you next chapter!


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